Iron Man Armor Suit
(Mod V Golden Avenger)
Context
The Model 5 may be the most classic and long-lived Iron Man power armour suit.
Though this armor is usually referred to as “Iron Man armour Mark Five” or “Golden Avenger armour”, it is actually two distinct suits of armour – the Iron Man Mod III Mk I and improvements, and the Iron Man Mod IV Mk I and improvements.
These notes are a bit old and will be eventually revised, though there’s the issue of its sheer number of appearances. So in the meanwhile these game stats with the more blocky, less detailed approach than in our modern entries are a good overview.
Each model gets its own profile. For now and in chronological order :
- M1 Mk1 “Grey Armour”.
- M1 Mk2 “Golden Armour”.
- M5 “Golden Avenger” – this here profile.
- M6 “Silver Centurion”.
Advertisement
Powers and Abilities
The Iron Man Mark V “Golden Avenger” battlesuit is a state-of- the art piece of combat weaponry, despite the fact that its first appearance was in the 1960s. The suit features an impressive array of offensive and defensive capabilities.
The famous “repulsor ray” (in DC Heroes terms, Energy Blast) is a concussive plasma beam fired from the palms of the gauntlets. The chest-mounted “Uni-Beam” (Flash and Heat Vision) is used as a secondary weapon. The armor retains the limited magnetic capabilities of the early repulsors (Attraction/Repulsion).
It can absorb heat and electricity (Energy Absorption) and channel that energy into enhanced strength or repulsor blasts (Power Reserve). Additionally, the safety interlocks may be disabled to enhance strength or repulsors (Power Reserve of power pods), but at the risk of disabling the armor (resultant R#10).
Boot jets allow the armor to fly (Flight) and roller skate at high speed (Running). The armor has a built-in air supply (Sealed Systems) and protection against light- and sound-based attacks (Shade). The armor itself is stiffened by a magnetic field for increased resilience (Skin Armor).
The armor is equipped with a host of sensory and communicatory devices (Radar Sense, Radio Communications, Sonar, and Thermal Vision). The armor scrambles the user’s voice so that the identity of the wearer remains hidden (Actor).
The armor also carries a number of lesser-used powers (Omni- Gadgets), such as digging implements in the gauntlets (Digging), heater coils in the armor skin (Flame Being), fire-retardant foam in the fingers (Flame Control), radar jamming (Invisibility), and sonic blasters (Sonic Beam).
The armor is mostly solar powered (R#0), with hip-mounted power pods to store excess energy. In emergencies, these power pods may be used to enhance strength and repulsors (Power Reserve), to project a force field (Force Field), or as grenades (Bomb). These uses of the power pods reduce the internal power reserve and reliability (R#5, attribute reduction).
History
The Mark V “Golden Avenger” armor is the classic red-and-gold armor from the 1970s and early 1980s. It was first worn by Tony Stark in Tales of Suspense #66. Stark wore the armor until his bout with alcoholism in Iron Man (vol. 1) #169.
James Rhodes wore the armor from Iron Man (vol. 1) #170 through #199. This armor was finally replaced by the Model VII “Silver Centurion” armor in Iron Man (vol.1) #200, although Rhodes made at least one more appearance in this suit.
Iron Man in action
For all maneuvering purposes, Iron Man usually uses his Vehicles (Power Armour) Subsskill as AV and OV unless he is choosing to substitute Flight as his evasive OV that phase. The armor also gives him increased speed (Enhanced Initiative) and the option to allow the computer to control his movement (/DEX/).
Iron Man’s total Initiative score reflects both of these effects.
Iron Man’s /BODY/ score, modified by Energy Absorption and Skin Armor as appropriate, acts as his RV against physical attacks. Any damage taken by Iron Man is split between the armor’s BODY and the user’s BODY, not the user personally (Hardened Defenses per BOHSE rules).
The armor ceases to function upon reaching a current BODY condition of 0 APs. Any damage has to be repaired manually in a workshop (an action done using Gadgetry and any adequate Scholar advantage). Another more costly and immediate option is for Iron Man to pay up HPs and do a Desperate Recovery Roll for the armor.
For all practical purposes, the Iron Man armor has indefinite power supply as long as the hip-pod batteries are intact. The R#11 is in effect if the hip pods are used as offensive weaponry. Failure with R# results in that component failing, not all of his weapons and maneuvering systems.
Repairing of components is done in a Workshop, unless trickier field repair is attempted (costing HPs). If Iron Man resides in an alien environment for an extended period of time, he will likely suffer from a Power Loss Subplot (à la Secret Wars).
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Iron Man Mark V Armor (classic “Golden Avenger”)
/DEX/ 06 /STR/ 12 /BODY/ 12, R#0, Hardened Defenses.
Powers:
Attraction/Repulsion: 08, Energy Absorption: 10, Energy Blast: 11, Enhanced Initiative: 02, Flash: 07, Flight: 10, Heat Vision: 10, Power Reserve (STR, Energy Blast): 04, Radar Sense: 08, Radio Communications: 18, Running: 07, Sealed Systems: 11, Shade: 05, Skin Armor: 02, Sonar: 08, Thermal Vision: 06, Artist (Actor): 10
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Attraction/Repulsion is effective against Ferric/Magnetic materials only.
- Energy Absorption is only effective vs. heat and electric attacks.
- Energy Blast is concussive.
- Flash and Heat Vision may only be used against targets the armor is facing (-1 AV).
- Power Reserve is fuelled by Energy Absorption.
- Shade also protects against sonics.
- Artist (Actor) represents the built-in voice scrambler and may only be used to disguise the armor wearer’s voice.
- The armor is made of iron so it is detectable by radar and vulnerable to magnetism.
Equipment:
- 10 AP C Omni-Gadget.
- 7 AP C Omni-Gadget (x2).
- Power Pods (x2) [BODY 08, Bomb: 12, Force Field: 08, Power Reserve (armour STR, armour Energy blast): 02, Limitations :
- Use of Bomb has Grenade Drawback.
- While being used, Force Field or Power Reserve adds 5 to R# of armor.
- Without a Pod, add 5 to the R# of the armor, and all physical attributes reduced by 1.
Source of Character: Iron Man, Avengers, and Secret Wars books.
Helper(s): Sébastien Andrivet, Roy Cowan, Sean MacDonald, Jay Myers, Dr. Peter S. Piispanen, Nick Yankovec, Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition, Gamers Handbook of the Marvel Universe (MSH game supplement).